Perfectly Imperfect
by The People Speak
Summary: "Hi, I'm Piper McLean. I understand that for my 4 years of high school here, I've been a complete and total brat. I've turned a blind eye to everything that went on in the halls and focused all my attention on being perfect. But that's not right. It isn't fair. So I'm standing here in front of you to tell you, that recently, I have noticed. And none of you deserve that." Jasper AU


**Perfectly Imperfect**

* * *

Piper walks past her head held high and her glossed lips quirked into a gorgeous smile. Drew Tanaka, self-proclaimed best friend, walks next to her, talking at her. Because really, who cares what Drew says anyways.

Lacey nervously tips in every now and then, but it's mostly Drew chattering about useless crap nobody gives a damn about. But Piper still smiles and nods and laughs airily in all the right places.

She worked hard. To be on top. No one ever cares about gossip or how hard you worked. But at least everyone likes her.

She flicks a lock of hair over her shoulder and casts a disguised irritated look at her posse of self-absorbed so-called friends. When Drew is about to catch her glaring, it morphs into her award-winning smile.

Because Piper McLean is perfect. And there is no girl who wouldn't want to be her.

* * *

Jason watches from his seat next to his best friend Percy Jackson as Piper McLean and the rest of the populars sweep the floor. Percy is currently arguing with his girlfriend Annabeth, Leo is preoccupied with his phone, Frank and Hazel are just talking casually, and Reyna is studying Jason.

Reyna is Jason's girlfriend. Right. Girlfriend. That means he can't stare at Piper. But there's just something about her that draws him to her; like moth to flame. She's pretty, but it's fake. Jason saw the real Piper. Young, wild, perfectly imperfect.

Reyna's eyes flick over to one of Jason's so-called friends Matt. He knows they're hooking up. Whatever.

He's the golden boy. Sure money, sports, brains and looks. Dig in ladies. Well, not really. Because his dad's a pretentious asshole who picked his friends for him. Well Percy and the others are great friends, but Reyna is kind of a shitty girlfriend.

They may not be at the top, but he's hovering. It's still not enough for him to be worth a penny of Piper McLean's time. Outside of French.

So Jason Grace watches the girl he may or may not be irreversibly in love with, stride right past without a change in expression.

* * *

Piper and Drew are at the mall later. They walk, arms linked like schoolgirls, into boutique after boutique. Drew, once again, chatters aimlessly. Piper all but ignores her and keeps the smile planted on her face.

She only almost blows up once. New record.

But seriously, Drew comments on Piper being a size six. Drew's a two and three inches taller. Piper nearly throttles her, but brushed it off as weird sizing, dismissing a potentially dangerous conversation.

So how did Ms. Tanaka die? Oh, just her best friend strangling her over dress sizes. That would have been odd to the police.

Piper sees him out of the corner of her eye. Grace. Tall, handsome, and utterly taken. He's got that cute scar over his lip and Piper loves it. But, Drew says he's not cool enough. Almost, but not really.

From French class, Piper thinks he's plenty cool. And hot.

But maybe it'd be okay for her to see him if she fit into that four, or even a two.

So she lets Drew talk some more as Jason Grace, the boy she may or may not be head-over-heels in love with, passes by.

* * *

The next day she's in French. Jason studies her perfect hair as she sits two seats in front of him and one to the left. He notices Drew trying to talk to her, but she pays attention.

Her favourite class. He knows. It's the only one she actually likes.

As soon as they are dismissed, she's gone, Drew at her side like glue. Jason stumbles after her, followed by Annabeth.

Piper is there, her compact open, checking her lipgloss. She snaps it shut with a click and regards Jason coolly. Jason feels her question and tells Annabeth, just loud enough, "Six tonight."

The blonde blinks at him in surprise, but then Piper is striding past them, message received, and no one dares talk.

Jason heads to lunch with Annabeth, who is still thoroughly confused. He sees her sit next to Dylan, her beau, and start the flirt fest.

For once, he catches the glimpse of hate and contempt on Drew's face as he watches her. It's directed at her supposed best friend. Jason worries about Piper a little longer. She doesn't eat, just smiles her fake smile and nods.

Percy elbows him and raises an eyebrow. Jason just shoves him and starts to work on biology.

When he gets to the large house at six in the evening, she answers the door. Piper's face is bright, free of make-up, and genuinely smiling. Jason is glad she's being herself. This is the best Piper McLean. The most beautiful.

Only he knows it.

They do French for a while, but it gets off topic. Soon she's wearing sweats and an old t-shirt, him in jeans and an even older one, and they're watching a movie.

Piper's dad looks in as they are engrossed. He almost feels bad. He wasn't sure Piper had any real friends. That complicated things a little, he muses.

The next day, it's the same routine. Piper leads her crew everywhere. Except when she goes to the bathroom alone at lunch.

Jason is walking past with Leo, when he hears something. He tells his friend to go on, and peeks in the girls' bathroom. Piper's there, cake-faced for school again, trying to be pretty.

Jason is crushed. He stops her and she looks mortified. He tells her it's bad, but she just snaps it's for her image. He doesn't give a damn about the image. She does. There's a fight.

Piper ends up storming out with no intentions of ever being alone in the same room as Jason Grace.

Jason watches her go, horrified and cold, and also lonelier than ever. Even when Reyna throws herself at him later, he doesn't recuperate. Leo watches him curiously, but says nothing.

Jason knows he knows about Piper. Leo liked a girl a while ago, but she moved schools, and understands perfectly Piper's whole perfection deal. Best friends man.

After that, Jason loathes school almost as much as home. His dad is still a political asshole and bastard, Thalia and his stepmom still go at it five times a day, and Jason can't stand Tuesday's even more than usual. Normally he'll go study with his Piper. The one no one else knew.

But now she hates him. He's caught her trying to be pretty twice since and she's given him a verbal middle finger on both occasions.

And while Jason's life gets worse, he's not the only one.

* * *

Piper is happy. She's a four now. With the way she's headed she'll be a two in no time. Drew seems happy with the change. So does Dylan, he hits on her more often. But Malcolm, Lacey, Lou Ellen and the nicer kids in her posse seem a little worried.

Whatever, as long as she's beautiful. Beauty is happiness to Piper.

Well, normally it is. Lately she's been seeing more things.

She'll walk down the hall and see Will Solace, captain of the basketball team, and Nico di Angelo, some goth kid, exchanging glances that are something more than friendly.

She sees Bianca di Angelo putting up a brave face for her friends, and as soon as they leave, she's thrown into a locker and laughed at.

She sees Katie Gardner taking cautious looks at Travis Stoll while he plans his mischievous next prank.

She sees Tyson get yelled at and laughed at behind his brother Percy Jackson's back because of his massive size and clumsiness.

She sees Luke Castellan, football captain, watching Thalia Grace, resident rebel, with an intrigued look in his eye. And sometimes she watches back.

She hears Lacey, sweet innocent Lacey, getting cat-called as she walks to class. Sometimes Lacey can't even get to the bathroom before she's crying.

She sees the school tough girl Clarisse La Rue talking to a tall semi-scrawny kid from the school's tennis team named Chris Rodriguez.

She sees people snatching Rachel Elizabeth Dare's sketchbooks and pouring water on them or ripping them up right in front of her as Rachel tries not to cry.

She even sees the lecherous looks coming from boys in all grades directed at her and it makes her sick.

And even more-so she sees Drew screaming at and laughing at Lacey and Lou Ellen. She even catches Drew and Dylan, supposed boyfriend and best friend, making goo-goo eyes at each other.

Something sick settles itself in Piper's stomach. What was she?

* * *

Jason remembers every word said by Piper and himself in their fight.

He called her a fake.

She called him a suck-up.

He called her a vindictive bitch.

She called him a bastard. (That one kind of hurt because he was born out of wedlock, as was Thalia).

He called her a spoiled brat.

She called him a complete asshole.

Perhaps they were both a bit out of line. Jason wants to apologize, but can never muster the courage. She's always surrounded by her little posse.

He's started becoming more conscious of his friends.

Percy and Annabeth are so in love it's sickening. He knows Percy wants to propose the day they step out of the school. He knows Annabeth will say yes. The only thing stopping them from fucking each other's brains out that very second is Annabeth's strict 'no sex until marriage' policy.

Frank and Hazel are nauseatingly adorable. They hold hands and whisper all through lunch. Hazel laughs at every adorable thing Frank does, and Frank can't keep his eyes off her. They're juniors, but they're one of the most perfectly matched couples in the history of, well, ever, Jason thinks.

Leo spends meal after meal, glancing at his phone with a little uncharacteristic smile on his face. His fingers gently tap at the table, but it's nothing compared to his normal ADHD behavior. Jason knows it's his girl. Leo's told him her name is Calypso. She goes to some school back west and Leo's going to college with her as soon as they graduate.

Reyna pretends to make it all about Jason, but really, she sees opportunity, money, and popularity in their relationship. She's with Matt behind his back for a fuck here and there, but it's not like Jason will ever care. He doesn't even like Reyna.

* * *

One Friday Piper comes home and throws herself onto her bed. She rolls onto her back and blinks away tears that shouldn't be there. Today was hard.

She saw some random guy smack Bianca's ass before shoving her into a locker. Someone poured an entire venti coffee on Rachel's sketchbook. Some guys on Will's basketball team stole Nico's notebook and found Will's initials written in all the margins. Drew dug at Lou Ellen about Connor Stoll and then verbally slammed Katie Gardner right in front of Travis and Katie ran away crying. Half of Chris's friends circled Clarisse and told her to back off because she was a scary bitch who Chris hated. Drew again snapped at Lacey for being a wimp about the wolf whistles. Dylan stole Tyson's gym shirt and taunted the taller kid about the nasty scars on his back. Dylan even asked Luke why the fuck he was checking out the goth freak.

Piper washes her face with warm water, but still can't get any of it out of her head. It's like someone just flipped her whole world on it head.

Being popular and perfect didn't make her happy anymore. Instead, now she just watches people tear each other's lives apart.

When her dad pops in to tell her some potentially unsettling news, Piper is actually relieved. Jason Grace is really the only one she thinks of, and she knows he deserves more than some shallow girl like her.

So she makes her plans. And it will be one hell of a show.

* * *

Jason is exhausted. His teachers are throwing stuff at him left and right, prepping for finals, and he's done. He thinks he's about to jump out the window he's so stressed when Thalia and his stepmom start going at it. Jason groans and smacks his head down onto his desk. Here comes an even bigger migraine.

Then his dad stops in. Usual one-sided conversation: How's school? Grades up? Reyna's good? Still friends with Percy? Taking over the family business soon? Work hard. Fuck the life you want to live. Fuck the girl you may actually be in love with. You're marrying Reyna as soon as you leave high school. You're not stressed, don't be a wimp. Stay on the football team. You've got your whole fucking life planned, don't fuck it up.

Something like that.

He doesn't know why, but today he snaps. Maybe it's because he doesn't have his Tuesdays with Piper McLean anymore, where he could just pretend nothing was wrong with the world.

Jason texts Reyna asking to meet up at a coffee shop. She responds with an eager yes. He tells his dad he's going out and slams the door over Thalia's yelling as he leaves. He swings by the florist to buy some flowers. He wonders as he peruses the aisles if he bought the wrong flowers, she'd do the deed herself.

Reyna's favourite flowers were the clichéd red roses. Piper's were the unconventional white lilies. The store has both in stock, so Jason goes for the lilies. He thinks they are a prettier flower anyways.

When he gets to the coffee shop Reyna takes one look at the flowers and frowns. She scolds Jason on how he knows her favourites are red roses and how anything else makes her unhappy.

Jason then proceeds to tell Reyna something very important. He tells her his dad wants them to get married. Reyna looks delighted until Jason continues and says he'd rather not marry a girl who's fucking his friend behind his back. Reyna looks appalled and tries to protest, but Jason says it's over, stands, and walks away.

He was feeling better than he had in a long time.

* * *

Piper gets through next week painfully. She carefully observes anything that should make her have to alter her plans, but nothing comes up. If anything, they are solidified further.

She goes to French class like normal and takes her seat in the second row, third column from the left as usual. Drew slides in next to her spewing useless gossip. Well except for one bit, Jason dumped Reyna because she cheated on him and now Jason's friends were shunning Reyna and Matt.

For some reason Piper feels just a tiny bit less like a piece of plastic when something in her chest goes bah-bump at the realization that Jason is single. But Drew chatters on about how horrid Rachel looked today, or how ugly Katie's hair was yesterday.

Piper muffles her anger and turns her attention to her teacher. Madame Venus had already started the lesson. When they are assigned a partner worksheet due by the end of class, Piper has hers in her hand and is headed straight towards someone without a second thought.

Jason glances up at her as she approaches. She smiles nervously and hopes he notices. He does. She has a healthy glow again. Her excessive make-up is gone. Now it's just enough that Drew doesn't get on her case, but it's enough for him. He smiles at her, forgiving, and she pulls out a chair next to him.

They finish the worksheet in record time, like they'd never fought. Piper hands them both in, and Venus gives them a strange look of admiration. Piper returns to her seat and Jason doesn't say anything, just pulls out more biology homework (he never runs out of it) and a sharp pencil.

Tuesday, Piper tells him. Five thirty. He glances at her. He wasn't expecting the invitation, but he flashes a half-smile, all the acknowledgement and acceptance she needs. She slips back into her seat beside Drew, who's miffed Piper didn't work with her, and starts doodling.

* * *

At lunch, Jason is surprisingly in a pleasant mood. Even though he feels like his friends are walking on eggshells around him because of Reyna. But Piper. He feels a little warm tug in his stomach. Piper McLean voluntarily chose him today. It's just the little victory he needs to forget about home life.

Somehow, Piper always serves as a good distraction.

Again Jason watches her enter the cafeteria with her friends. They all bunch around the popular table as usual. Piper doesn't even try to look like she's listening to the conversation, rather she's nimbly folding and unfolding a scrap of paper.

Jason hides a smile in his hand and he wonders why she changed. It's a very good change, he decides. Almost like she's decided to let Real Piper come to school for once, rather than Fake Piper.

Tuesday comes fast enough. Jason is done with his father, done with school, done with his friends pretending he's a wounded puppy, done with Thalia and his stepmom's screaming, and done with the shit the populars pull at school.

Piper answers the door in sweatpants and sarcastically attempts to slam it in his face. Then she beckons him in and they instantly go for the couch, forgoing French homework tonight. Piper puts in a cheesy Rom-Com and proceeds to get sucked into it, laughing in all the right places. Jason doesn't bother watching the movie. It's too cliché and Piper is more interesting anyways.

After that movie, Piper puts in some really sad drama. This one Jason does end up watching. By the end, when everyone is dying, he's completely misty-eyed and absorbed into the story so he doesn't notice that Piper has brushed the tears from her eyes and is watching him intently.

They meet up Thursday as well, and Jason loves to just escape from his own personal hell for even just a little while. Piper loves to put together the final pieces of her plan.

Friday couldn't come soon enough for both of them.

* * *

On Friday morning, Piper knows it's the day. She doesn't straighten her hair like every other morning. She lets it hang around her face and randomly braids certain strands of it so the little braids dangles around her face. Her face is completely free of make-up. It feels pretty good. She puts on no jewelry other than a Cherokee pendant her dad bought her.

She wears a white t-shirt, blue button up shirt undone, and a cargo jacket. She wears boyfriend jeans with rips on the knees, shins, and thighs. Lastly, she wears clunky doc martins. It's the kind of outfit that would make Drew and Fake Piper cry.

She takes the bus to school rather than driving her expensive sports car, and ignores all the stares she gets from people. Before today, Piper McLean taking the bus would have been unheard of.

Drew is waiting impatiently at Piper's locker when she arrives. Drew ogles at her outfit and immediately demands as to what Piper is wearing. Piper responds with a sarcastic and drawled, clothes, snatches her books from her locker, slams it in Drew's face, and walks off without waiting.

She feels the incredulous gazes following her but ignores every single one. Yet somehow, she catches Jason Grace watching her with a small smile.

At lunchtime the show starts.

When Piper arrives in the cafeteria at lunch, the cliques are each filling up at their table as usual. Drew calls Piper over and she slowly heads over. Drew smiles sweetly before taking in Piper's look again.

"Honey, what are you wearing?" she asks, wrinkling her nose.

"Clothes." Piper responds drably, just like in the morning. "Excuse me there's something I need to do."

She pushes a tray off an empty table and pushes herself up so she's standing on it. Cupping her hands around her mouth she shouts, "HEY EVERYONE!"

The whole cafeteria falls silent.

Piper takes a deep breath. She focuses first on the school as a whole. "Hi, I'm Piper McLean. I understand that for my four years of high school here, I've been a complete and total brat. I've turned a blind eye to everything that went on in the halls and focused all my attention on being perfect. But that's not right. It isn't fair. So I'm standing here in front of you to tell you, that recently, I have noticed. And none of you," her voice lowered a tone. "None, of you, have to deal with the crap you get."

She stares right at Nico di Angelo. "Hi Nico, I'm Piper. I know your name, but I don't know your story." She looks at Will Solace. "Hi Will, I'm Piper. I know your name, but not your story. I may not understand what it's like, but I can appreciate that you're different. And hell fucking yeah I support you. Don't be afraid to break boundaries and be who you are. If anyone judges you, they are lower than dirt. You're you, perfect and flawed. So what if you're gay. So what if you care about each other despite stereotypes. That's what makes you different, and that's what makes your love lasting." Nico and Will are both watching Piper in bewilderment as she addresses what they've been taunted about for years so calmly. They look at each other and Will grins a huge grin while Nico manages a small one with pink cheeks.

Next, Piper turns to Bianca di Angelo, Nico's sister. "Hi Bianca. I know your title, but I don't know who you are." Bianca blinks and her friends surrounding her look at her in confusion. Piper continues, "I've seen it. I've seen you smile and put up your façades. Then your friends leave, and they pull all that stupid shit. You don't need to take it. You don't have to deal with being shoved into lockers, garbage cans, locked in a closet, and abuse like you do. You shouldn't have to. Anyone who beats up a girl, for whatever reason, be it she ugly, or refuses to date you, belongs in hell. Don't take their shit. Talk to people, they will help. If they don't, fight back. Don't let them take you down, stand up and go down fighting if you have to. I'm standing here to share with you a little bit of bravery." As Piper finishes, she notices Bianca's friends look horrified that they never knew she was abused like that. Bianca manages a weak smile in Piper's direction.

Piper spins 180 degrees on her podium of a table and look at Katie Gardner. "Hi Katie, I'm Piper. I know your name, but nothing about you. It doesn't matter if you like books. So do I. It doesn't matter if you like gardening or the environment. Yeah sure, it's a little unfortunate with your last name, but you don't need their shit. As with everyone else, our own self-doubts are about all the crap we can manage. If someone ever tells you that you aren't beautiful, or your clothes are out of style, or your hair is a rat's nest, don't believe them. They're doing it to shake your confidence because they're jealous of you. Don't ever believe a word that comes out of their fucking mouths. And about Travis Stoll, sure he may be an ass sometimes, but honestly, he's an ass who would chase you around the world. Be yourself and don't let anyone convince you otherwise." Katie Gardner sucks in a gasp and glances shyly at Travis, who cracks his mischievous grin in return.

"Tyson!" She yells out next. "I know your name, but not who you are. It doesn't matter what they say to you. You're amazing. You protect your family, and they have no right to judge you on something they don't understand. No one deserves to be taunted like you are. Stop taking their shit and be yourself. Be big, be brave and have heart. You are a wonderful guy, and no one should be able to take that away from you. If they can, then maybe you need to hear it from someone else more often. You're perfect the way you are, and I know that you love yourself." Piper smiles, feeling more confident with each word. "You know, Ella and you would make a really cute couple." Ella, the redhead a few seats down, goes as red as her hair but smiles shyly at Tyson. He grins back at her.

Next she looks over at the girls rugby table. Clarisse is watching her cautiously. She can see Chris at the table behind her, also watching her. Piper grins. "Clarisse La Rue, Chris Rodriguez, I know your names, but not your stories. I know you think that nobody has seen you, but I did. Clarisse I see that you care, Chris you too. You can't let other people pressure you into someone else's life. If you care for each other, don't let other people's opinions stop you from being happy. You shouldn't care that a girl from the rugby team and a boy from the tennis team like each other. If anything, it should be a good thing to break stereotypes." She gestures to the whole school, "You shouldn't care either. And your thoughts shouldn't matter as long as you're happy." Clarisse looks back at Chris and they share a genuine smile.

Now she looks over at the jock's table. Luke is siting between two of his buddies and Thalia is leaning against the back wall. "Hi Luke, we already know each other, but I don't really know what you're feeling. Hi Thalia, I'm Piper. I don't know you at all. It's your choice really to care. Because personally, I don't think there could be a more kickass pairing. And also, why should you give a fuck what they think? No one's life is easy, but you can't just pretend that nothing is there, when you know there is. You can't just fake your way through life. It's about living and feeling and loving. If you're happy together, or even if you just want to try, why not? Don't take their shit because their opinion is shit in this case. It's not about them, it's about your own decision and your life and they don't have the authority to control you. Do what you do best and break the mold."

"Hi Rachel Elizabeth Dare, I'm Piper McLean. I may know absolutely nothing about you, but I understand. I understand that it's fucking hard to watch as people tear you down and destroy your pride. They break what you do, what you love, and it fucking hurts." Piper points at Rachel and yells out louder. "See this girl? She's an amazing artist. And you all treat her like dirt, when really it's the other way around." She addresses Rachel again. "Your art tells your stories and you can't let anyone take that from you. It's who you are and it's your identity. Shape your own life, colour outside of the lines. Who gives a fuck? You're spectacular, quirky and amazing. Just like everyone else and we can't forget that by destroying you, it destroys your own humanity. So Rachel you have to stand up. You have to fight back and show them you aren't ashamed, because you're beautiful, your art is beautiful and you have absolutely no reason to be."

Piper turns to her own table. She smiles a brilliant smile at Lacey. "Hiya Lace. We know a lot about each other, but I've been a shitty friend. I should have noticed earlier. I know you aren't nearly as comfortable in your own skin as you should be. I know you're a beautiful and super nice girl. I know they make you uncomfortable. Those catcalls and wolf whistles make any girl uncomfortable. You don't need to put up with it. You also don't need to put up with some of your shittier friends. You have a huge heart and I swear you can fit the whole world in there. What you need to do is find someone who can appreciate that and fit your entire world in theirs. So open up a little. Share your love and gain some confidence from others. Keep your head up and they can all go to hell, because who gives a damn what they think."

Then, Piper's happiness and peppiness disappears. She looks at Drew. "Drew Tanaka. You were supposed to be my best friend. Instead, for some reason only now, I found out that you're a vindictive bitch who cares only for herself. You put me down when I was a size six, always making in about you, you, you and your size two body. You bully other people to make them like you. You talk behind people's backs in hopes that it puts you in good graces with others. In reality, you're a horrible person. You clung to me in hopes that if I never noticed what you were, you could eventually dethrone me and claim my title for your own. I've seen it with my own eyes. You don't like me. You hate me. And guess what Drew? I fucking hate you too. You have no right to treat me, or anyone else like we're dirt. You have no power to tell us we aren't pretty enough or popular enough. You can't do that to people because it destroys them. You're a monster. And every time you look into the mirror, your heart turns a little more into stone and you get a little more inhuman. Because, really, what kind of actually decent person could ever get excited over the drama of other people's private lives when they're none of your business. You are the biggest bitch I've ever known."

Drew says nothing, instead just gawks. The murmuring has died completely as Piper brutally exposes Drew. The teachers that appeared in doorways do nothing. They let Piper tell her story, horrified that all of this happens in their hallways and they are powerless to stop it.

Piper smiles sweetly at Dylan, her boyfriend. Then it disappears and she is an ice queen again. "Fuck you Dylan. You tell me I'm gorgeous when I'm thin and fake and popular and rich. You never like me, you liked my idea. You liked dating the pretty and popular girl. You thought I would put out easily. When I didn't, you looked elsewhere. And where else to go but Miss Drew Tanaka, Queen B for bitch herself. You told me I needed to lose weight when I was a six. I let you control me, manipulate me, and practically own me for a year and a half. You are an asshole. You are just as bad as Drew, often you're worse. You pick on other people because they're different. Who are you to judge what's normal, what's cool and what's acceptable? Why do you get to control people? What makes you qualified to run their lives when your own life is a fucking train wreck heading for a cliff with absolutely no breaks. And today especially, I hope you run over the cliff and realize halfway down what a horrible bastard you are. I hope you realize that making fun of others doesn't make you better. I hope you know that when you cheat on a girl with her bitchy supposed best friend, it's not going to stay hidden and there's nothing that will stop me from kicking both of your asses. Stay out of my life, and butt the fuck out of everyone else's too."

Everyone is completely speechless. Piper hops down from her table and walks back to the popular table. Drew is sitting there in shock and does nothing. Lacey, Lou Ellen, Malcolm and the others flash her grins. Piper grabs her bag and turns to walk away when Dylan calls out to her.

"Piper, babe, I love you. Drew and I were never serious."

Piper turns around her expression sour. "Look you piece of shit, I'm done with you. I'm done being some Barbie doll who has no soul. I'm done being controlled by other people. I'm done hiding behind a mask because I didn't want to be myself. This is Piper McLean and she's done with you and your shit." Piper winds her fist up and sends it cracking into Dylan's face.

He stumbles back holding his bleeding nose as Piper walks away through the crowd head held high. When she's almost out of the cafeteria, she stops at the last table. Jason Grace is watching her with an unreadable expression. When she gives him a half smile, he stands up and they are face to face.

"Hi Jason Grace. I'm Piper McLean. I know your name and your story. You know mine. I'm sorry I was such a shitty person. I'm grateful you aren't. You're an amazing guy who deserves life handed to him on a silver platter. But, I get that it's never going to happen. So I say to you, I'm sorry, stand up for yourself, talk back, be free, be strong and love. Love the people around you, no matter how terrible they are. Be strong because others will need to borrow your strength. Be free because it's your life and they can't tell you how to live it. Talk back because your opinion matters more than theirs ever should. Stand up for yourself because you deserve more and you need them to shut the fuck up and listen sometimes. I'm sorry because I treated you like shit. I should have taken notice sooner and the fact that you saved me from myself. And finally, thank you. You opened my eyes to the carnage that is this life, and made me see that I have to change it. Because if I didn't no one else would. You made me a better person, and I hope I made you one too. Goodbye Jason Grace, my name is Piper McLean and you were the only person who ever actually knew me."

Piper leaves then, without looking back, her posture tall and confident and she knows that they're all watching. And for once, she doesn't care.

* * *

Jason is left standing there, her words ringing through his head. Percy mumbles something about her being a badass, but Jason's ears are still ringing. The bell rings, and the teachers watching jolt into action. They herd all the students into class and no one utters a word.

Everyone files off, thinking about how Piper McLean just did the unthinkable. Everyone appreciates it. Everyone has respect for the former plastic queen of the school. Everyone knows that she's a person, just like everyone else. And she's a damn good one.

But, no one bothers to follow her out of the school.

Jason goes to his next class, but the whole school is still in silence and shock so nothing really gets done. After school, he numbly walks to his locker and mechanically swaps his books for homework. Finally, and hour and a half later, her final words set in.

"Goodbye Jason Grace, my name is Piper McLean and you were the only person who ever actually knew me."

He knows now that Piper McLean will never return to this school on the east side of Manhattan. He knows her father has a private jet. He knows why she chose now to change and speak out. He knows now that this is his last chance and that he has to be to the airport right now.

So Jason steals Percy's keys from him, leaving behind a bewildered and offended best friend as he takes off. He navigates Percy's car through downtown Manhattan traffic impatiently. He gets to JFK an hour later and can only pray he's not too late.

He drives to the side entrance and begs and begs with the guard there to let him onto the private tarmac. After ten minutes the guard relents and passes him through. Jason's heart is racing a 100 miles an hour and he can't process a single thought logically.

He runs towards the McLean's plane. Piper is on the tarmac, beaming and speaking with her dad. Mr. McLean boards the plane and Piper McLean turns to follow.

Jason knows it has to be now. "PIPER MCLEAN!" He yells.

Piper freezes like someone has shocked her. She turns and sees Jason racing towards her. Her fingers clench the railing of the steps up to the plane. Jason stops a couple of feet from the stairs and catches his breath.

He looks up at her. His blue eyes are electrifying and trap her while Piper's kaleidoscope eyes capture his emotions.

"Hi Piper McLean." He says. Piper watches him. "My name is Jason Grace. I know your name and your story. I've seen you when you're hiding. I've seen you when you're having fun. I've seen you when you're passionate. I've seen you when you aren't taking anyone else's shit. I've seen you when you're upset. I've seen you in as many ways as anyone else who has ever known you. But only you have seen me vulnerable. Only you have seen me when I'm brave. Only you have seen me when I'm lost. Only you could have found me. You found me, you caught me and I don't know how, or why. But all I know, in this life that's full of shit and nothing makes any sense, is that I'm wholly, irreversibly, completely, undeniably, permanently, totally, head-over-heels in love with you. And nothing in any world, anywhere, could ever, EVER, change my mind."

"Jason Grace." She says quietly as she descends the stairs. She looks at him. He's broken, and so is she. He's lost and confused, but she's his map. And maybe he's the glue that can put them back together.

"Piper." He replies. His voice is soft and affectionate.

"Kiss me." She demands.

He does and to them, it's like someone let out a bazillion pachinko balls at once. But hey, not like anyone else is watching. So he does it again.

* * *

**Author's Note:** I hope you enjoyed my first story. It's obviously Jasper/Jiper from PJO/HOO. It's obviously an AU story, and the characters are a little OOC. I know I painted Reyna as a bit of a bad person, but honestly I love Reyna and only used her because she was the first character that popped into my head.

This is a one-shot obviously, and nothing else will probably be posted for a while because I'm going to Japan. I hope you enjoy how I wish I could stand up and tell everyone to stop taking other people's shit.

Yeah, Piper was kind of a bitch at the start, but that was kind of the point. She and Jason understood each other, and eventually they just cracked. With this world that we're in, it seems like a lot of people seem to crack.

Really, just do your best, ignore what others say and stand up for yourself. Because as Rick Riordan, the owner of these amazing characters, wrote Piper McLean saying "Being a hero doesn't mean you're invincible. It just means you're brave enough to stand up and do what's needed". Truer words have never been spoken.

Reason #5 billion why I love Rick Riordan.

Anyhoo, thanks for reading.

~ don't forget to speak up ~

\- the people speak


End file.
